Hit For Hire

by David Archer

  Neil stared at him for a moment, but Noah could tell the gears in his head were spinning at high speed. “I’ve got the drone,” he said after a moment. “It’s nearly silent, so I should be able to do a search of the location with it, maybe find Adrian for you that way. That would definitely be an advantage, if you knew where he was hiding.”

  “Yes. What else can you think of in that genius brain of yours?”

  Neil bit his lower lip. “It’d be sweet if we had any idea what phone he’s using now. I might be able to put a GPS lock on it, track wherever it goes.”

  Noah cocked his head to one side and looked at me. “So, if Broussard used his satellite phone to call Adrian, could you identify his phone that way?”

  “Yeah, but I’d have to be within a mile of Broussard.”

  Noah nodded. “Okay, we can arrange that. Make sure everything is all charged up, we’re going mobile as soon as I change my hair color.”

  * * * * *

  Adrian entered the chip shop and looked around for only a moment before he saw the two men he had come to meet. He had added a false beard and mustache to his disguise, giving him the appearance they would remember from the last time they’d worked with him. He slid into the booth beside the smaller man.

  “'S good to see you again, Arthur,” the bigger man said. He was a handsome man, though he had a roguish look about him. He often used both gifts in order to charm his way into the affections of women who could help him accomplish his goals.

  Adrian smiled and shook his hand, then patted the man beside him on the shoulder. “Likewise, Eddie. You been keeping Georgie, here, out of trouble since then?” His own accent was only slightly less cockney than Eddie’s.

  “Boys and toys,” Eddie said. “You know Georgie, he loves to see things go boom.” He looked at Georgie as he spoke. Georgie was a smaller man, and though he possessed a brilliant mind, his appearance tended to remind people of some sort of ape they had seen at a zoo. He was often ignored as he went about seemingly menial tasks, and witnesses never quite remembered him after his bombs exploded.

  Georgie snickered, and Adrian grinned at him. “Don’t worry, lad,” he said, “I’ve got something up as needs your talents. Needs to be a bit bigger than last time, though, and you’re gonna need to work fast. It’s got to be ready in a week, and already in place.”

  Georgie grinned back. “Where’s it got to go, then?” he asked.

  Adrian looked him in the eye for a moment. “This one’s going into Albemarle Primary School,” he said. “We don’t want to take out a lot of kiddies, though, so I want it to blast upward as much as possible. It’s going in under a stage, to go off with a couple of special people standing on top of it.”

  Georgie nodded. “Shaped charges, then,” he said. “I can do cones, launch your targets straight up to the moon, it will.”

  Adrian nodded. “That’s the ticket,” he said. “Needs to look like something that belongs there, though. Any thoughts on that?”

  Eddie leaned forward. “Going under a stage, y’say? Right under the speaker’s box?”

  “Under the lectern, yes,” Adrian said, “but it should blow the whole stage, just in case one of those special people is sitting down at the time.”

  “Easy peasy, then,” Eddie said. “We get some lumber and build some new supports under it. Anybody looks at it will think there might be some weak boards and somebody shored it up. Put extra legs right in the middle and under where the blokes’ll stand, with Georgie’s toys hid inside. Oi?”

  Adrian smiled. “That’s why I like you lads,” he said. “You both think like me.” He reached into a pocket and took out an envelope. “10,000 pounds, all in tenners,” he said, referring to 10-pound notes. “You get the other half after it comes off, right?”

  “Chuffs me to bits,” Eddie said. “We’ll get it all sorted. Just a matter of getting into the school to fix the stage, oi?”

  Adrian hissed. “Oi, there might be a rub there,” he said. “It seems old Brian will be speaking there sometime soon,” he finished, using the public nickname for Prince Charles that was made popular by the British satirical magazine, Private Eye.

  Eddie and Georgie looked at one another, then both of them turned toward Adrian. “Cor Blimey,” Eddie said, “are we blowin’ up the bloody Prince of Wales?”

  Adrian looked him in the eye and said nothing.

  Georgie began to giggle. “Not that we give a fig,” he said. “Sod me, not like we ain’t thought about it before, right, Eddie?”

  “Right,” Eddie said. “Only I see what you mean about a rub. There’s gonna be bloody bobbies all over, right?”

  “Yeah,” Adrian said, “there might be. That ain’t never stopped you lads before. You can handle this, right?”

  Eddie stared at him for a moment, and then smiled. “Oi, we can handle it,” he said. “Ain’t never seen a place we can’t get into. There’s bound to be a lonely bird there I can chat up.”

  Adrian smiled. Whenever Eddie “chatted up” a “lonely bird,” it meant that he was seducing a woman who could get him access to whatever he wanted. Adrian had done his research and was fairly certain there were a number of eligible women for Eddie’s purposes who worked in the administrative offices of the school.

  “All set, then?” he asked, and both Eddie and Georgie nodded their heads. “Right, then, let me know when it’s ready and where to pick up the signal device. Still got the number I called you from, right?”

  “Saved in me phone,” Eddie said. “Be hearing from us pretty soon.”

  Adrian smiled once more, then rose and left the shop. There was very little doubt in his mind that they would get the job done, but he had to prepare a backup plan, just in case. That meant a stop at Morrissey’s.

  TWENTY

  Moose and Sarah had gotten back only a short time later, and Sarah went into the bathroom to help Noah recolor his hair. When they came out twenty minutes later, Noah still looked as much a stranger as before, but he didn’t quite look like Adrian.

  “Well?” Sarah asked Moose and Neil. “What do you think?”

  “I’m gonna say it’s an improvement,” Neil said. Moose simply nodded his agreement and held up a thumb.

  “Yeah,” Sarah said. “I definitely agree. It’s still not right, but at least it’s better.”

  “Good,” Noah said. “Now that we all agree I’m not quite as repulsive as before, it’s time to get busy. Neil, you ready?”

  “All set.” Neil patted the computer case that was sitting closed on the table beside him.

  “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do,” Noah went on. “We need to get the number of the phone Adrian is using. The sooner we find him and put him down, the sooner I can start working on regaining IAR’s trust. We’re going out to Broussard’s place, and then I’m going to give him a call and demand a meeting with the Council again. If we are right, he’s going to call Adrian immediately, and Neil can get the number and even monitor the call. From that point on, we hope to keep a GPS lock on Adrian’s phone so that we’ll know where he is all the time.”

  “But why do you think Broussard is going to call him?” Sarah asked.

  “Because he undoubtedly told them I’m an imposter, and to let him know if I asked for another meeting. His plan would be to set a trap for me; I intend to turn around and use it to trap and kill him.”

  Sarah stared at him for a moment, her face blank. “You’re going to go up against him, one-on-one?”

  “Not exactly,” Noah said. “Neil is going to be monitoring that phone, and once we have a location for the meeting, he’s going to use the drone to look for where Adrian will be hiding. Once we have that, Moose and I will hit him with everything we’ve got. Adrian is a mad dog, and we’re going to treat him like one.”

  Sarah shook her head, still watching him. “I’m just worried something’s gonna go wrong.”

  “I’m going to do everything possible to make sure it doesn’t,” Noah said. “Let’s get moving
. Take everything with us and we’ll check out on the way out, then go by the agent and get the keys for the house. After that, I need to stop somewhere and pick up a couple of throwaway cell phones before we get to Broussard’s.”

  They left the hotel and got into the Land Rover, and Sarah pointed it toward the estate agent that Neil had used to rent the house. They pulled up in front of the office and Neil went inside to sign the paperwork and pick up the keys, then came rushing back. Everything was set, so Sarah drove to an electronics shop that she called up on Google. It was only a few minutes away, and Noah sent Moose in to buy the burner phones. When he came back, Sarah called up Broussard’s address on her phone again and started driving toward it. Neil opened his computer and verified that the man’s satellite phone, which he doubtless would never leave home without, was still there.

  An hour later, Sarah parked the Land Rover on a short, deserted side road that was overhung with trees. Noah waited for Neil to signal that he was ready, then took out one of the throwaway phones and dialed the number to Broussard’s sat phone. It rang four times before the man answered.

  “Yes?” Broussard said nervously.

  “This is Adrian,” Noah said. “Are you alone?”

  “Y-yes,” Broussard stammered. “How—how did you get this number?”

  Noah chuckled into the phone. “Do you remember me telling you that I have people who are very good at secure communications? Did you think that routing your call through a firewall would stop me from getting the number? But enough of that, we need to talk. There is a complication, and I need to meet with your council once again.”

  In the house a half-mile away, Broussard’s mind was reeling. This was exactly what the other Adrian—the real Adrian, apparently—had said would happen. He gathered himself quickly. “I—I don’t know,” he said. “I would have to call them and find out when they could meet with you again.”

  “Of course,” Noah said. “Please do so immediately, and let me know as soon as you can. You see this number?”

  “I—yes, I see it. I will ring you back in just a short while. Should I—is there anything else I need to do?”

  “Just stress to them that it is urgent we meet as soon as possible. I can still complete the assignment, but there are a few things I must discuss with your entire council.” Noah ended the call and turned in his seat to nod to Neil.

  The tall, skinny young man was watching the monitor closely. After almost 30 seconds, he suddenly grinned and tapped a key. They could all hear ringing, and only a couple of seconds passed before the call was answered.

  “Go ahead,” came the voice that Noah recognized as Adrian’s. He nodded twice to let the rest of them know that they were listening to the actual assassin himself.

  “It was just as you said,” Broussard blurted out. “He called, the other one, he called just a few moments ago and asked to meet with us all again. I told him I would have to call and find out when and where we could meet, so he is expecting me to ring him back in just a few minutes.”

  “Excellent,” Adrian said. “Tell him that you will all meet tonight, at midnight, atop the multistory car park in Limehouse. Tell him that this is the only place everyone would agree on with such short notice. Ring him now, and when you have finished, ring me back.”

  “Yes, as you say.” Broussard ended the call and immediately selected the number for Noah’s phone and hit send. “I spoke with Deanna,” he said when Noah answered. “The others were with her, and they have chosen the car park, the one with four floors in Limehouse. We shall all meet on the top floor at midnight tonight. She told me to say that they will be leaving the country very soon, and this is the only time they can meet so soon.”

  “Then I shall see you all at the car park tonight,” Noah said, and then he ended the call immediately. He glanced over his shoulder at Neil, who was smiling from ear to ear. “I take it that means you got it?”

  “I got it,” Neil said. “I got a tracking program locked onto him right now. He’s sitting in a restaurant called Holy Smoke in Wimbledon.”

  “Get directions,” Noah said. “Let’s go see if we can get him right now. Keep watching, Neil, let us know if he moves.”

  The GPS unit started spewing directions and Sarah put the truck in gear once again. According to the directions, they were almost 45 minutes away, but Sarah put her driving skills to work and managed to get them there in just over thirty.

  “He’s still in there,” Neil said. Noah and Moose stepped out of the car and started toward the restaurant’s front door while Sarah kept the engine running.

  “Chicago-style hit?” Moose asked.

  “Not if we can avoid it,” Noah said. “If he’s there, I’ll make the contact while you hang back. I’m going to let him know he’s covered and ask him to come out with me. If he puts up a fight, then take the shot if you can. Otherwise I’ll go for it. If he comes out, we’ll take him down the alley over there. Either way, it he’s really here, he doesn’t leave alive.”

  “Got it,” Moose said. “How about I go inside first? He might recognize his own nose on your face.”

  Noah nodded once. “I doubt that, but go ahead. Remember that he won’t be looking like his usual self, either. Considering that he’s been running loose for less than twenty-four hours, I’m guessing he’s using the same kind of cheap hair dye that I am. Might not be black, maybe a shade of brown.”

  “Okay. Give me twenty seconds.”

  Noah paused in his stride and let Moose go on ahead. Once the door closed behind him, Noah started counting seconds. At twenty, he resumed walking and stepped into the restaurant only ten seconds after that.

  Moose was standing at the counter, looking around. Noah let his own eyes scan the interior of the restaurant and concluded that Adrian was not present. He thought for a moment, then walked up to the counter where a young woman was making eyes at Moose while she waited for him to decide if he wanted to order or not.

  “Pardon me, Miss,” Noah said with a Liverpool accent. “My brother was in here just a little while ago, and he thinks he left his telephone. Have you perhaps found one?”

  The girl smiled at him brightly. “Why, yes,” she said. “Looks to be a dear one, it does.” She turned and hurried toward the back and into the kitchen, then came back just a moment later carrying a cheap cell phone. “Is this it?”

  Noah smiled and held out his hand. “Thank you so much,” he said. He took a five-pound note from his pocket and pressed it into her free hand as she gave him the phone.

  She broke into a wide smile. “Oh, no, thank you!”

  Noah turned and walked out of the restaurant, leaving Moose to extricate himself from the situation as best he could. Less than a minute later, Moose followed and climbed into the rear seat once again.

  Noah passed the phone back to Neil. “He was expecting it,” he said. “Ditched the phone and left it for us to find.” He turned to Sarah. “Get us out of here, and look for anyone trying to follow us. He may have waited around to see who came looking for that.”

  Neil popped open the case of the phone and took out its battery and SIM card. “Just making sure he can’t turn the tables. If he expected you to grab the phone, he might be tracking it himself.”

  Sarah blinked once and then the truck was moving. She made several turns in quick succession, then slid onto one of the major roads and drove at the speed limit. “Nobody on our tail,” she said. “Damn it, Noah, he could have taken you out right then. If he’d been on top of one of the other buildings or...”

  “He wasn’t, so let’s not worry about it. If he was watching at all, it was to find out whether we were on to him. It’s possible he just ditched the phone automatically, assuming he wouldn’t need it again. What we’ve got to do now is figure out how to beat him at his own game.”

  “Get me to that parking garage,” Moose said. “He doesn’t know me, so hopefully I can find a spot to hide and watch for him.”

  “He’s had enough time to get th
ere already,” Noah said. “I’d say it’s a safe bet that he deliberately walked away from the phone and is already in position to take me out when I get there. Neil, how close we have to be for your drone to work?”

  “It’s got a range of three miles,” Neil said, “but remember that I don’t know this building we’re talking about. If we can drive by it once and park somewhere maybe a mile or so away, I can launch it and scan the entire garage. Only problem is the sun is still up, so he’s likely to spot it. If we can wait until after dark there’s a chance it can find him before he sees it.”

  Noah glanced at the time display on his own phone. “It’s almost five,” he said. “Waiting for darkness sounds like a pretty good idea. Meanwhile, we can work on plan A.”

  Sarah’s eyes whipped around at him. “Plan A?”

  “Yes, plan A. If I can’t eliminate Adrian, I’ll need to convince the Council that he’s the fake and I’m the real one. I can do that best by going ahead with the planning for the assassination of Prince Charles. Tomorrow I’ll ream Broussard’s ass for setting me up tonight, and then we’ll force a real meeting. For now, let’s go unload everything into our new house, and then I need to get my hands on Patrick Iverson.”

  TWENTY-ONE

  Noah and the rest walked through the house and chose their bedrooms, with Sarah pointedly dropping her own bags in the room Noah selected. Moose and Neil grinned but said nothing, and chose the two bedrooms that were furthest away from it.